Gaming systems have included progressive systems in which the machines are linked together so that, in addition to the normal games played on the gaming machines, players can compete for an additional prize. One type of progressive gaming system is described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,837,728, issued Jun. 6, 1989, and assigned to International Game Technology.
Although progressive gaming systems have proved to be successful, it is believed there is a potential to provide progressive gaming systems which could make the systems available to a larger number of players, preferably while maintaining or enhancing the system's resistance to cheating.
In the past, progressive systems have been typically organized on a gaming device level, e.g., such that when a prize was awarded by the central system, it was directly awarded by the central system to an individual gaming device or terminal. This is believed to, from a practical point of view, place limits on the size of the progressive system, and thus limit its availability to potential players. Furthermore, in many previous progressive systems, the only gaming devices or terminals which could be used to participate in the progressive gaming were those which were specially constructed for coupling to a particular progressive system, such as only gaming devices made by a particular manufacturer, only those devices for playing a particular game, and/or only those devices using a certain monetary denomination or range of denominations (e.g. only dollar slot machines).
In some progressive systems, the event which triggers a potential win of a progressive jackpot is a win at a local gaming device. For example, in some slot machine systems, no progressive jackpot may be awarded until a play at one of the slot machines connected to the progressive system has resulted in a winning combination. In some systems, no prizes are awarded until a threshold condition occurs (such as the progressive jackpot reaching a variable threshold amount). The progressive jackpot will then be awarded to the player at the first connected slot machine to indicate a win. Although such a system is operable, it is believed a system which requires a local win in order to qualify for a progressive jackpot win does not provide the greatest entertainment value and player attraction possible.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a progressive gaming system which is not limited to awarding prizes to an individual gaming device or terminal, is not limited to a particular manufacturer, style or denomination of gaming terminal, is not limited to awarding the progressive jackpot only to local winners, and/or has potential for enhancing the number of players who can partake in the progressive system play while maintaining or enhancing resistance to cheating.